Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

If he wants to take all the questions relating to Prime Minister Cameron or Prime Minister Monti or Prime Minister Rajoy or European leaders generally, I do not have a fixed view about that.

Our agenda for the Presidency is stability, growth and jobs. I made the point the other day that if a conclusion had been reached on the budget for 2014 to 2020, it would have allowed Ireland's Presidency to focus on the consequences of that, which is CAP reform, sectoral reform in a number of areas and 68 Bills before the European Parliament. Even if a deal were struck, the Government and its officials would have had a great deal of work to be involved in. The fact that a deal has not been struck adds to that workload. While it is important to note that the question of resolving the budget for the Union is one for the Council President because it is on his desk and while Ireland's Presidency will work closely with him, it is a matter for him to define when he believes there is agreement to put a deal together. Ireland, as holder of the Presidency, will work closely with him in dealing with different leaders but we do not have the imprimatur to say "This is what is going to happen here" because that is a matter for the 27 member states. I assured the Council President that we will work closely with him and with other leaders to see that he is ready to call the meeting at where he hopes we can get a conclusion on this. My view is that the quicker it can be done, the better. It may be the end of January or February; I cannot say yet.

We support banking union. The question has always been asked about whether we support this only in respect of major banks or for banks throughout Europe and I have made the point repeatedly that the bank which brought this country over the edge was not a major bank in European terms and that is why it is necessary that banking union and the supervisory role should cover the spread of more than 6,000 banks involved.

The question of treaty change impacts on our people and it is nothing new for Ireland to have to deal with but it is important to understand that after 2014 there will be a new European Parliament and a new Commission and the question of treaty change, in my view, should be considered during the term of that Parliament and that Commission. It may well be that when the mechanics and the logistics are worked out by the Eurogroup, following the putting in place of the legal framework on 1 January, whatever conclusion it comes up with might require treaty change. I do not know and during 2013-----

See this speech in context